When you initially think of managing a government project, what comes to mind? Do you envision it being similar to managing a corporate project, or maybe you think it's totally different.
All the buying cycles, protocols, and terms might differ from the corporate sector, the overall concept of project management remains the same.
You still need to deliver your project within the approved scope, schedule, and budget.
 

Let's be honest, project management is not for the faint of heart.
There are many challenges you'll face while making sure your projects stay on target.
However, if you take a proactive approach by having a plan of action in place your projects won't go off course.

As with every project, there are things you do and there are things you do not do.
Let's go over the things you should do, also known as Critical Success Factors.
Simply put, great project managers successfully deliver projects, so how do they do this? Well, they start with the end in mind.
 

Similar to corporate contracting, the government has a pre-award phase.
This phase takes place prior to the signing of the contract.
Your business development team normally takes the lead during this phase.
 

Once the agency releases the request for proposal, also known as an RFP, you should put on your inspector hat.
Your goal here is to be as proactive as possible.
Go ahead, peel back the cover of the RFP and as you read it, begin looking for ways you can add value.
 

Imagine this, you're in the pre-award phase, and you are eager to get involved in the project life cycle.
What do you think is the most important thing you can do to add value? Well, prior to the release of the request for a proposal, it would be beneficial if you identified the key stakeholders.
This will give you inroads into the decision maker's mindset.
 

Some projects are big and some are small, but they all have multiple constraints you need to take into account.
In order to determine what the high level project constraints are and which ones will take precedence, you should start with the three major constraints, scope, time, and cost.
When you determine the scope constraints, you want to get a good sense of what the desired outcome is.
 

Now that you've gotten to the award phase, is it time to celebrate? Absolutely not.
As a matter of fact you should roll up your sleeves and prepare to work.
By this time the RFP responses have been submitted and the government's contracting team has evaluated your company's proposal against the other responses they've received.
 

If I have learned anything in dealing with government projects, it's that you should check, double check, and even triple check, to make sure you have a clear understanding of the project expectations.
If you think about it, several months, if not years, may have transpired between when the government agency began developing the scope, and when the project is actually awarded.
During that time period, a lot could have changed.
 

Risk is inherent in every project.
Just like rodents and roaches find their way into a farmhouse, risk can show up almost anywhere in your project.
It's best to prevent them from occurring in the first place rather than trying to fix them after they've occurred.
 

You finally made it.
The government has authorized your project.
Now what? Well, there are a few steps to take to ensure your contract is formally approved.
 

 We've finally arrived.
The post-award phase is here.
This is what you've been waiting for.
 

The initiation of a project is really the continuation of the award phase.
Many times, projects get off to a rocky start because the project manager didn't exercise strong leadership by getting the project team, as well as any key government stakeholders aligned behind a common goal.
So, how do you get your project off to a good start? One of the best ways is to hold a face-to-face kickoff meeting, sometimes called a post-award conference.
 

Things will start to pick up now that you've kicked off your project.
I'm sure you've heard the expression plan your work and work your plan.
Well, now you will begin to plan your project.
 

Once the Project Management Plan has been approved, your focus needs to shift to project execution.
This is when the work begins and the majority of your project's schedule and budget will be spent.
You should expect the visibility and pace of your project to intensify as the project deliverables are completed.
 

Monitoring is performed throughout the entire project.
You are mainly concerned with assessing progress and measuring how well you're executing against the project management plan.
A good way to determine if your project is on track is to use key performance indicators, also known as KPIs.
 

How you close a project is just as important as how you kick it off.
Your goal is to deliver spectacular results and leave a positive impression in stakeholder's minds, thus leaving the door open for future opportunities.
This can be accomplished by making sure all project work has been completed, project objectives are met, and the government formally accepts project deliverables by signing off on them.